Battle of the Kayala River (1185)
In 1185, Igor Svyatoslavich Prince of Novgorod-Seversky, impressed by the successes of the Grand Princes of Kiev in 1183-1184 organized a separate campaign against the Polovtsians, with the possible goal of regaining control of the Principality of Tmutarakan Forces of the parties In the spring of 1185, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich left for his northeastern possessions to gather warriors to go to the Don River to fight the Polovtsian for the whole summer, and Igor Svyatoslavich, together with his brother Vsevolod, Prince of Kursk and Trubshevsk, and nephew Svyatoslav Olgovich, Prince of Rylsk, Together with a detachment of the Kovui (a nomadic population dependent on the Prince of Chernigov on the left bank of the Dnieper, akin to the right bank Chorni Klobuky subordinated to the Grand Princes of Kiev), they moved to the shores of the Donets. Tactical features Vasnetsov V.M. Painting “After Igor Svyatoslavich’s Massacre with Polovtsy” The chronicle story about Prince Igor’s campaign against the Polovtsians contains information on the battle order of the Russian princes of the time, which, compared to the XI century, began to split not only along the front, but also in depth, while the large regiment also mentioned for the first time composed of shooters from all the other regiments. At the first meeting with the Polovtsians on the Syurly Кiver (on Friday morning), Igor was lucky, and large prey was seized. The pursuit was organized by the advanced regiment of Vladimir Igorevich and the regiment of the left hand of Svyatoslav Olgovich, while the main forces (the large regiment of Igor and the regiment of the right wing of Vsevolod) continued to maintain the structure. On the shores of Kayala River, the Russian army clashed with the main forces of the Polovtsians (on Saturday morning). The numerical superiority of the Polovtsians was so serious that the subsequent battle was fought by Russian troops surrounded. Fighting, they moved to the Donets. Igor dismissed the option of flight of his cavalry from the Polovtsians, because he did not want to leave to the mercy of black people. The chronicle also provides a curious detail, which also indicates the peculiarities of the military affairs of that time: having been wounded, Igor continued to move on horseback. On Sunday morning, after a day of uninterrupted combat on the move, the troops reached the lake and began to go around it. The Word about Igor's regiment contains no detail in the chronicle story that Igor changed the direction of his regiment to help the regiment of Vsevolod. The Kovui could not stand it and ran, trying to escape from the environment. Igor galloped against them to try to get them back, but he failed. He also could not return back. He was taken prisoner, like the rest of the princes. Many warriors died. "The Word of Igor's Regiment" generally speaks of three days of battle with the Polovtsians, specifying that on the third day Igor's banners fell by noon . Aftermath The Polovtsians invaded Russia in two directions: to Pereyaslavl and Poceme. Vladimir Glebovich was besieged in Pereyaslavl and Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich was sent to Kursk and Putivl to send his sons Oleg and Vladimir to safety. At the same time, Svyatoslav united with Ryurik at Zarub, preparing to cross the Dnieper in order to come to the aid of the besieged in Pereyaslavl. The Polovtsians did not wait for the collision and left. The Polovtsians managed to burn only the city of Rimov .